The Transition of Forest Cover and Its Cultural Values in Shrine/Temple Forests in the Mountainous and Foothill Areas of Kyoto City: A Study Based on Topographic Maps and Aerial Photos

There is growing interest in the diverse roles of forests in addressing climate change and biodiversity goals. Recent studies have indicated a disregard for the cultural values of forests that have been formed in close association with human activities. This may potentially lead to the loss of cultural characteristics, traditional forest knowledge, and biodiversity. This study explores historical forest dynamics and their unique cultural values from the end of the 19th century in 15 shrine/temple forests located in the mountainous and foothill areas of Kyoto city. Using geographical information systems (GIS) based on topographic maps and aerial photographs, this study investigates the forest composition in the 1890s, 1980s, and from 2010. The results indicate that approximately half of the targeted shrine/temple forests were composed of low Pinus densiflora forests and coppice forests in the 1890s. Between the 1890s and 1910s, coniferous forests were planted in these areas with the intention of land conservation and timber production. This distinctive forest cover became a typical characteristic for shrine/temple forests until the 1980s. However, from the 1980s, a decrease in the cultural value of shrine/temple forests was observed due to the lack of human activities in these forests. As a result, the distinction between shrine/temple forests and the surrounding forests has become blurred. This could potentially cause the homogenization of cultural characteristics. This study aims to inform readers of the cultural value associated with the historical landscape and biodiversity found in shrine/temple forests.